 |
RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
 |
|
|
RICHARD REDDING ANTIQUES |
|
|
A wonderful Classical polychrome painted porcelain plaque made by the Royal Berlin Porcelain Manufactory, stamped K.P.M. on the reverse, illustrating “Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife” after Carlo Cignani, in an elaborate gilt frame Berlin, date circa 1840 Oval, 32 x 35 cm. Throughout the nineteenth century the Royal Berlin Porcelain Manufactory produced a number of plaques featuring very fine copies of famous paintings, among them were reproductions after the Renaissance masters, in particular Raphael as well as the Seventeenth century Italian masters. This wonderful example is a reduced copy after the painting by Carlo Cignani (1628-1719), in the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden (1678-80; oil on canvas, octagonal, 99 x 99 cm). Cignani, who became the main force in upholding the tradition of Bolognese classicism into the eighteenth century, was born into a noble family at Bologna. There he studied under Battista Cairo, and afterwards under Francesco Albani though his style is closer to that of Correggio and Guido Reni. In 1711 he was appointed the first president of the Accademia Clementina in Bologna. Like many of his generation he executed mythological, historical and religious works of art. His most famous works included the ‘Assumption’ (Cupola of the church of the Madonna della Fuoca, Forli), ‘Adam and Eve’ (The Hague) and ‘Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife’. Cignani painted two different versions of the subject, one in the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden from which this Berlin plaque was copied and another now in the State Museum of Art, Copenhagen. Cignani was known for his generosity and honest nature but like Joseph was envied for his success. The present scene represents the story as told in the book of Genesis of how Joseph rejected the advances of Potiphar’s wife. Joseph, the Israelite from Canaan and eleventh son of Jacob became the most powerful man at the court of the Egyptian Pharaoh. As a boy Joseph was pampered by his father who made him a coat of many colours. His older brothers’ jealousy increased when Joseph recounted dreams in which the whole family bowed down before him. They thus conspired to dispose of him in a well and returned home with his blood stained coat claiming that he had been slain by a wild beast. However some passing Midianite merchants rescued Joseph from the well, they then sold him to some Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt. There the young Joseph was taken to Potiphar, the captain of the Pharaoh’s guard. In the course of time Joseph showed such ability and diligence that Potiphar put him in charge of his household and all his affairs. Genesis 39:6-19 describes how Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce the handsome and good-looking Joseph but he firmly rejected her advances. One day she clutched him by his coat; he fled leaving the garment in her hand. But the spurned woman got her revenge by telling her husband that the Hebrew slave had tried to violate her and produced his coat as proof. Thus the enraged Potiphar threw Joseph into prison. There Joseph proved he was able to interpret dreams, eventually he was brought to the notice of the Pharaoh and correctly interpreted one of his dreams as seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine. Thus prepared Pharaoh took appropriate action and saved his nation; as a reward he gave Joseph great power and wealth and in the course of time Joseph’s prophesy that his own family would bow before him was realised. The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife has inspired artists throughout history including Rembrandt (National Gallery of Art, Washington), Guido Reni (Pushkin Museum Moscow), Jean-Baptiste Nattier (Hermitage Museum St Petersburg) and Tintoretto (Museo del Prado, Madrid). Cignani’s rendition was also copied on ivory. |